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s 



They Pushed their Way Through the Grass 




m 

To 


THE LIBRARY Of 
CONGRESS, 

T «lO CoPI*£ Rkcbveo 

NOV t8 1903 

CnpvwoMT rvrrrv 
CLASS #,XXfi No. 




COPYRIGHT, 1903, 

BY 

John P. Morton & Company. 


To my Sister Florrie, 

THE LITTLE GIRL TO WHOM THESE 
STORIES WERE FIRST TOLD 



/ 



TOLD BY A CHILD. 



CHAPTER I. 


HOW THE STORY CAME TO BE TOLD. 

jPRIS, propped 
among th 
in the big 
bed, was res 
and discontentcu. 
collection of books 
and toys were scat- 
tered over the coun- 


terpane, but she was 
quite tired of them 
all, and longed for 
something “different and amusing,” as she 
expressed it. 

Her elder sister, Margaret, sat in the win- 
dow-seat putting stamps in her album. She 
was absorbed in her work, and barely looked 
up when Doris called to her. 


a 


9 


The Wah-wu-loos. 



! Margaret !” cried the little 
“do come and tell me a story.” Her 
closed the album with a sigh, and walk- 
the room sat upon the bed. “I’ve 
told you every one I know.’’ 

“Well, then, make up a new story, and 
let it be a nice, long one, and about fairies,” 
was the quick reply. 

Knowing that the story would have to 
be told, Margaret accordingly curled up com- 
fortably at the foot of the bed, and began 
“The Story of the Wah-wu-loos.” 

In a large bed of fleur-de-lis, in the park 
of a duke’s castle, a band of fairies lived. 
They belonged to the great Wah-wu-loo family, 
and were ruled by Queen Corinna. 

The queen was out walking one day, and 
the little lady fairies were sitting on the leaves, 
some gently rocking their babies, who were 
nestling in their flower cradles, and others 
making spider-web lace. 


IO 


Told by a Child. 

^%,'V 


Some of the mothers were saying that 
fleur-de-lis did not make very good 
as the petals were so far apart, and the baBieig^ 
sometimes fell out between the cracks. 

“The tulips would be a great deal nic 
said one. “And there are so many beautiful 
tulip beds on the other side of the park,” 
argued another lady fairy. “ Let’s ask the 
queen to permit some of us to move into one,” 
exclaimed a charming little mother, named 
Evelyn, who was one of Queen Corinna’s 
favorites. “Yes! yes!” they all cried, “we 
will ask her this very evening.” 

And so when the queen returned from 
her walk she was met by an enthusiastic group 
of lady fairies, who asked permission to move. 

“Indeed!” cried the little queen, “if you 
do not like my ruling or the fleur-de-lis, you 
may just go to your tulips, but I’ll have noth- 
ing further to do with you. No, not a thing 
will I do for you!” Then Corinna picked up 


ii 



he Wah-wu-loos. 


-petal skirt and went into her castle, the 
Royal Fleur-de-lis, closing the petals after her. 

She had hardly been there two minutes 
when she felt sorry, and wished she had not 
spoken so hastily. The queen had quite a 
bad temper, and besides was tired from her 
walk, which accounted for her being so cross, 
for you must not believe that she was always so. 

The little lady fairies were quite amazed 
after this speech, and looked at each other 
in astonishment. 

“We shall have to leave,” cried one, 
indignantly. 

“We may as well begin to pack,” said 
another. That is why, Doris, when the little 
men returned from the forest, they found the 
poor babies lying neglected in their cradles, 
screaming as loudly as their tiny fairy lungs 
would permit, while the little mothers were 
rolling the clothes in bundles, tying them with 
blades of grass. 


12 


Told by a Child. 

V 

“What has happened?” they all asked at 
once. The lady fairies paused long enough 
in their work to tell what had taken place. 
“Gracious, what a mess !” cried they, 
shall have a dreadful time moving,” objected 
a handsome gentleman fairy. The little moth- 
ers only sighed, and went on packing the 
clothes. 

The following day they settled down in 
the tulip bed ; then a queen had to be chosen. 
This was quite an important event in the 
lives of the little Wah-wu-loos. Each fairy 
picked a clover leaf and wrote the name of 
the person that they thought would make the 
wisest, prettiest, and most lovable queen. 

The clover leaves were collected, and while 
the ballots were being counted the lady fairies 
walked about, chatting excitedly. 

While this was going on Evelyn peeped 
from a large pink tulip and watched the fairy 
men at work. She wanted very much to be 



13 


/ 


The Wah-wu-loos. 


/ / 



as she swung gracefully back and 
noticed with delight that most of the 
clovers went on her heap. 

The gentlemen fairies had nearly finished, 
apd almost every clover leaf had ‘ ‘ Evelyn ” 
written upon it. When the basket was empty, 
the fairies shouted with joy, for Evelyn was 
ed the queen. They helped her down 
'p, and placed upon her head a 
of lily-of-the-valley bells. She 
with a charming smile which showed 
etty dimples in her cheeks, the little 
shouted, and the band of Tulip 
ah-wu-loos was founded. 




l 


CHAPTER II. 



THE LITTLE LADY AGATHA. 

Part I. 

EVERAL w 
the Tulip Wc 
had settled in 
new home, 
from the 
with the head 
to inspect his grounds. 
They walked toward 
the tulip bed, and u 
their approach 


. . frc 

- y. /; v • ‘ r * *•* * 

* r • * ■ • 


tie fairies opened their flowers and 
up their ears to listen to the following con- 
versation: 

‘ ‘ The little Lady Agatha is not well, and 
the doctor said that she must discontinue her 
walks in the castle grounds. Do you think 
the Forest Path is damp?” 


15 



Wah-wu-loos. 

the gardener, “it has 
so.” 

‘ I suppose she will have to do as the 
suggested, but I hate to deprive the 
child of her walks, she enjoys them so much,” 
and the duke sighed as he thought of his 
but delicate daughter. 

They walked on past the tulip bed, and 
their voices became softer and more indistinct, 
until nothing could be heard but the buzzing 
of a few bees and the excited whispering of 
the lady Wah-wu-loos, which resembled the 
wind blowing through the willow leaves. 

The Lady Agatha not to go into the park 
any more! and the little fairies wept at the 
very thought. 

“We have always loved her so tenderly,” 
said the queen from her tulip. 

“We used to sing our songs to her,” 
moaned a lady-in-waiting, as she brushed a 
tear from her cheek. 

16 


Told by a Child. 

‘‘Well, if she cant come to 
Evelyn in a brisk tone, ‘ ‘ I see ho 
our not visiting her at the castle.” 

The other fairies agreeing with their queen, 
dried their eyes with tiny handkerchiefs, and 
skipped lightly off to a clump of wild flowers. 
There they picked the pretty blossoms, and as 
they wove them into a wreath sang sweet, 
airy songs, and jested with each other until 
all had forgotten the entire matter. 

Part II. 

The duke and gardener now walked over to 
the iris bed, and the Fleur-de-lis Wah-wu-loos 
strained their ears to listen, just as the little 
Tulip fairies had done. It was growing late, 
and the duke hurried along, only stopping 
long enough to remark : ‘ ‘ These irises are of 
a lovely tint, the most beautiful I have ever 
seen.” “Yes, my lord; they are of a very 



The Wah-wu-loos. 


fine variety,” replied the gardener with a 
eculiar smile. 

Although that was all that was overheard 
by those at home, the little men at work in 
the forest heard a great deal more, and hur- 
riedly sent a messenger to tell the news to 
the lady fairies. 

“After the duke had gone to the castle,” 
breathlessly exclaimed this messenger, ‘ ‘ the 
head gardener met another man in the forest. 
He was one of the under gardeners, and has 
a mean face.” 

“Gracious!” exclaimed Queen Corinna ; 
“did they mean to do any harm?” 

“I think so,” replied the gentleman who 
had been speaking. 

“Listen!” said the queen in a loud voice 
(loud for a fairy, but quite weak for us). 
“The messenger will please continue.” 

“The head gardener said that it was just as 
he had expected, and that Agatha could not 

18 


Told by a Child. 

go in the forest again. Then the assistant 
replied that they would do their work in the 
house ; and they discussed the question o 
getting into the castle. The under gardener, 
rubbing his chin for a moment, replied that 
he could manage that. He knew the maid, 
Hermine, would willingly let him in for a few 
gold pieces. The head gardener, bidding 
him try it, opened his leather wallet and 
took out the gold. They then parted, and 
that’s all we heard, ” finished the gentleman 
fairy, sinking down quite exhaustedly on the 
moss. 

The queen took out her tiny handkerchief, 
edged with spider-web lace, and wiped her eyes. 
The other ladies followed her example, and very 
soon all of them were crying as if their hearts 
would break. 

“Our dear little lady, our darling Agatha!” 
cried the little queen. “What harm might 
come to her!” 


19 





e Wah-wu-loos. 

The handsome gentleman fairy proposed that 
they j}U ;&cr£p ^e Lady Agatha’s apartments, 
ijhi-'be able to help her. 

\ye tell the Tulip Wah-wu-loos,” sug- 

“ f ’ ;: ... .!;> 

Tady-in-waiting, “they may go with 
the castle.” Queen Corinna looked per- 
but feeling sorry for the way she had 
talked the day of the quarrel, called out: “Yes! 
Thistledown, run over and tell Queen Evelyn 
what has occurred.” 

Thistledown bowed and obeyed, while the 
other Iris fairies donned their coats and hoods, 
and prepared to go to the castle. 

Evelyn listened gravely to the message, and 
then told Thistledown that the entire band of 
Tulip Wah-wu-loos would meet the Iris fairies 
at the magnolia tree in the duke’s private 
garden. 

Then Evelyn called her subjects, and they 
at once set off to join the other band of Wah- 
wu-loos in rescuing the Lady Agatha. 




20 


Told by a Chil^ 


Part lit; } 





A \ff 

A few minutes after {be 7 fairies h; 
on their mission, the little Lady Ag; 
slowly down the Forest Path in the dfrecti 
the fleur-de-lis bed. She took in a deep breaffi* 
as she looked around at the familiar park, 
thinking perhaps this would be the last time 
she would see it for many weeks, maybe a % 
year. 

Then, realizing that it was growing quite 
late, she hurried along. At the fleur-de-lis bed 
Agatha again stopped, and called out softly : 
“Wah-bu, wah-bu!” (which means in the Wah- 
wu-loo language “Agatha is here”). Receiving 
no answer, she bent down, opened the petals 
of a flower and peeped into it, but found it 
empty. She then opened another, with the 
same result. 

‘ ‘ What has happened to the Iris fairies ! ” 
she thought. “Where can they be?” Just as 



tx 


21 


The Wah-wu-loos. 



Agatha was going to turn away, feeling very 
at not being able to bid the 
-bye, she heard some one calling 
e very softly. 

the little lady opened a fleur-de-lis, 
and as the third time makes a charm, you 
, she found handsome Prince Browneyes 
up quite comfortably in a flower, but 
half awake. 

e fairies have gone to the castle,” said 
prince, stretching his arms and yawning. 
“Why?” inquired Agatha, anxiously. 

“To help you, of course. The head gardener 
has an evil plan, and intends to do you harm. ” 
“To help me? Do me harm?” echoed the 
Lady Agatha. ‘ ‘ I wonder what Browneyes can 
mean? ” But the handsome little prince was 
sound asleep again. And after carefully closing 
the petals Agatha went along the path to the 
tulip bed, thinking the Tulip Wah-wu-loos could 
tell her what Browneyes meant. 


22 



Told by a Child. 


The stars began to come out, and the tall, 
dark shadows and trees in the fores 
Agatha feel lonely and afraid, 
reached the Tulip fairies’ home, but 
was there except a few babies who 
left behind in their cradles. 

Then the Lady Agatha sorrowfully 
away and hastened toward the castle, the 
of which could be seen shining through the 
trees. 

Part IV. 

The gray towers and walls of the duke's 
castle were covered with ivy and other climb- 
ing vines. One of these towers, the largest, 
was given over to the Lady Agatha, who had 
her apartments there. The castle was sur- 
rounded by the remains of a wall and an old 
moat only half filled with water. Beyond 
stretched the park, the forest, and gardens. 

The view from Agatha’s windows was of the 
wood, fleur-de-lis and tulip beds. Whenever she 




23 


The Wah-wu-loos. 


y 

went to these windows, and looked out upon the 
beautiful scene, she always thought of the little 
Wah-wu-loos. For Agatha loved them very 
dearly, and it grieved her to think that they 
had to^ quarrel and separate. 

You may imagine, then, Doris, how surprised 
Agatha was when she heard a tap at the 
window, and going to it saw several Tulip and 
Fleur-de-lis Wah-wu-loos together, standing 
on the sill, motioning for her to open the 
window. 

She opened it a few inches, but turned away 
when she heard the maid enter. “You have 
been out a long time, my lady. Your blue silk 
is laid out on the bed,” said Hermine, point- 
ing her finger at the fluffy mass. “Your father, 
the duke, awaits you in the white drawing- 
room.” 

As Hermine finished speaking, she helped 
her little mistress to dress, and then began to 
arrange the jewels in Agatha’s hair. “Hurry, 


Told by a Child. 

Hermine, I must not keep father waiting 
long ! ” 

“Yes, my lady,” answered the maid in 
meek voice, though a wicked smile was on her 
lips and a curious, mean light was in her dark 
eyes. 

The fairies on the window-ledge listen* 
watched attentively, and were so quiet/ tha 
Queen Corinna came up from the magnol; 
tree with some fairies of her band to see if 
anything had happened. “We are not help- 
ing our little lady in the least, ” said the 
queen, “by just standing on the window-sill. 
Evelyn, please remain here with half of the 
fairies, and I shall take the others for an 
inspection of Agatha’s apartments”; and Queen 
Corinna crawled through the window, followed 
by half of the Wah-wu-loos. 

They made their way silently through the 
bedroom, unseen by Hermine, who was adding 
the finishing touches to Agatha’s toilette. 




The Wah-wu-loos. 


?ugh the library and conservatory they 
until they reached the narrow stone 
allway, which was dimly lighted by a single 
Winging lamp, hanging from a chain in the 
corner of the hall. 

The little fairies paused a few minutes, 
looking cautiously about, and the old legends 
and stories of the castle, and this particular 
tower, came rushing into their minds. 

“In this very hall/’ ran an old legend, “a 
beautiful lady of the castle had been murdered, 
and the tower was said to be haunted ever 
since.” But these stories were nearly all for- 
gotten now, and Queen Corinna, giving her- 
self a little shake, reasoned that such things 
do not occur in these days. 

Nevertheless, she whispered to the lady-in- 
waiting who was next to her, ‘ ‘ This would be a 
splendid place for the villains to hide. ” The lady 
shuddered, and took hold of the queen’s gown, 
as they made their way slowly along the hall. 


26 


Told by a Child. 


The fairies had now reached a dark, 



staircase, that led from the tower "to £ 
drawing-rooms and the dukes apartments 
Corinna, knowing that these stairs were used/ 
by the Lady Agatha, descended a few steps to 
see if everything was safe, when she uttered 
a piercing shriek. But being only a fairy 
shriek, ’twas not loud enough for an evil- 
looking man to hear, who was sneaking along 
in the hallway. 

The little Wah-wu-loos were extremely 
excited, and all wanted to know what had 
happened, when, following the finger of their 
queen, they saw the man. It was surely not 
one of the house-servants, for they wore gor- 
geous livery. It must be the under gardener. 
Yes — the fairies were almost positive that it 
was. 

He had reached the foot of the stairway 
now, and the fairies, huddled together on the 
top step, saw him take something from under 


27 




e Wah-wu-loos. 

a long, dark coat that he wore. The queen 
strained her eyes to see what it was — it surely 
looked like a piece of the carved banister. 

The gardener bent down and carefully 
placed the wood on one of the darkest steps ; 
then taking a hatchet which hung at his belt, 
he loosened a piece of the railing, which was 
quite old and decayed. He placed it in such 
a position that it appeared to have acciden- 
tally fallen there. 

The under gardener viewed his work with 
evident satisfaction, and then disappeared into 
the dark passage below, muttering to himself, 
‘‘Forty gold pieces — forty of them — 'tis cer- 
tainly worth the work.” 

For several minutes after the man had gone 
the fairies were too frightened to speak. At last 
the queen managed to gasp, “Thistledown, 
tell — Evelyn — to — join — us. ” Thistledown ran 
off, and the Iris Wah-wu-loos' little queen sank 
down exhausted on the top step. 


28 



toward the bedchamber, all former fear vanish- 
ing at the thought of Agatha’s danger. 

The Lady Agatha stood before a long mirror, 
completely dressed, as the fairy noiselessly 
entered. The latter went over and whispered 
in Agatha’s ear, “The under gardener placed 
several pieces of the banister on the spiral 
staircase ; don’t use the stairway, or you’ll 
certainly stumble.” 

The little lady turned quite pale, but quickly 
recovering, thanked the fairy and hurried from 
the room. In the hall she met Hermine with 
a mean, wicked expression on her face, and a 
candle in her hand. She had just returned 
from consulting with the gardener, and had 
some of the gold pieces in her apron pocket 
as a reward for her treachery. 





29 


The Wah-wu-loos. 




- 

“Hurry, my lady,” said the maid, “your 
father awaits you.” 

“I’m not going down the spiral stairway to- 
day, thank you, Hermine ; I will take the 
candle.” 

/ ‘ ‘ But — er — er — you always do, ” stammered 
the maid. 

“ I’m not to-day, though,” answered her mis- 
tress, walking toward her apartments. 

In vain Hermine offered excuses and pleaded, 
but Agatha walked calmly on, and Hermine, 
biting her lip in vexation, was obliged to 
follow. 

What would the head gardener say ? He 
Jrelied on her to carry out this part of his 
plan. And the reward! The grand marble 
stairway was reached through the conserva- 
tory, and toward that they went. 

On the way Hermine made one bold, last 
excuse. “ Please, my lady, the workmen have 
been repairing these stairs lately, and I hardly 






Told by a Child. 


believe that they are finished. Hadn’t you 
use the others? These are not safe, I 
“My father mentioned, only last n;‘ 1 
they were entirely finished, Hermine, ” 

Agatha in a determined tone. Then she 
ered the folds of her blue skirt, and 
with head held high down the white 
stairs and straight into the drawing- 
The duke arose from a divan to 
but Agatha rushed toward him and flung 
arms around his neck and told him the 
story. 

When Hermine saw the scheme had failed 
she at once told the gardener, and while 
mistress was in the drawing-room she h 
away from the castle. 

As soon as his daughter had finished speak- 
ing, the duke was so furious that he rang the 
bells, called all his servants, courtiers, and the 
people of his household, and started in pur- 
suit. 


31 



The Wah-wu-loos. 


the park, and rode and rode 
until at last they found the 
Hermine and the two gardeners, and 
you may be sure, Doris, that they were well 
punished by the duke for having attempted 
the life of the Lady Agatha. 




CHAPTER III. 


ON THE LAKE. 

taE lake in the castle 
grounds was large, though 
shallow, and the weeping 
willows on the shore hung 
their branches where they 
were reflected in the clear 
water. Pond-lilies, cat- 
tails, and rushes grew in 
this beautiful lake, and on 
a summer afternoon, with 
the blue sky overhead, the birds singing and 
the willows gently swaying in the breeze, it 
was the coolest and loveliest spot to be found 
on the duke’s estate. 

One day, several weeks after the adventure 
in Agatha's Tower, Queen Evelyn and her 
daughter Edwinna seated themselves on the 
back of a butterfly, and waving their tiny 



The Wah-wu-loos. 


hands to the ladies-in-waiting, flew away to- 
ard the lake. 

The butterfly stopped to rest on the way, 
but finally they reached the lake, and alight- 
ing from the butterfly Queen Evelyn and the 
Princess Edwinna stepped on a lily-pad and 
seated themselves comfortably. 

Edwinna began twisting and plaiting the 
rushes, and her mother ordered the tea-things. 
A maid brought the fairy dishes; rose and 
poppy petals for the plates, an acorn for a 
bowl, and a single blue-bell for a cup. An- 
other servant brought the dainty food, and 
the royal Wah-wu-loos took little sips from 
the blue-bell cups and idly watched the bees 
getting honey from a near-by flower-bed. 

The clouds were becoming darker and 
darker, but the little fairies did not notice. A 
raindrop fell on the queens dress, which was 
also unseen, for the beautiful little Evelyn 
was thinking, and thinking very hard, too. 


34 


Told by a Child. 

She was trying to find a way by which the two 
bands of Wah-wu-loos might be reconciled an<| 
united. 

The princess was also thinking, but about 
a very different thing. She wondered why 
Prince Browneyes was so handsome; why his 
curls were so long, his eyes so bright, and his 
voice so low and musical. 

By this time the sky looked dark and angry 
and the wind began to blow, causing the usually 
quiet waters of the lake to become rough. A 
strong wave dislodged the lily-pad on which 
Edwinna was sitting and carried it far out in 
the lake. 

The queen looked up, and seeing her daugh- 
ter floating away from her screamed and called 
for help. But nobody heard the mothers 
agonized shrieks or Edwinna’s weaker ones. 
The servants had gone back to the tulip bed 
after serving tea, and only the birds heard or 
answered the fairies’ calls for help. 


35 



e Wah-wu-loos. 

K\ 

as weak and tired now, from 
xertion of calling. With her 
her * 1 golden curls blowing in 
|j|ze,; and her gauze gown wet with spray 
, she stood in the middle of the lily- 
On and on she was borne, and was quite 
o the shore when she heard a voice 
shouting, “Hold to the willows when you pass 
beneath them; I'm coming to get you!” 

Looking up, Edwinna saw Prince Brown- 
eyes running swiftly along the bank toward a 
clump of willows. Yes, he was there! Now 
the little prince was climbing out on one of the 
branches that hung nearest the water. The 
lily-pad had drifted in that direction, and as 
Edwinna passed beneath the willow she caught 
hold of one of the branches and hung there, 
while the lily-pad floated down the stream 
toward a little brook, into which the lake flowed. 
It was fortunate Edwinna had not gone with 
the lily-pad, as she would have been stranded 
36 


Told by a Ch 

7 a - ii\ 

on one of the rocks and_npbody could have 
saved her. /jT (iri 

S_JU/ 1 / I t j A I~> 

The prince climbed to the eiid cjf the bran* 
and then clinging to the willow with one h; 
he bent slowly down and caught the 
scious princess with the other. Evely] 
followed Browneyes, and arrived just in time to 
catch Edwinna as the poor, tired little prince 
dropped her and fell on the grass himself. 

“What shall I do ?” said the queen, softly, 
as she also sank down on the grass and beck- 
oned to a butterfly who was resting near her. 
The butterfly flew over and the queen climbed 
wearily upon its back and away they went 
toward the tulip bed for help, leaving the prince 
and princess lying unconscious by the lake. 

When she arrived home and had sobbed 
and gasped her story, some of the fairies wept 
and lamented, while the more sensible ones 
procured a large mat made of rushes and 
went with it to the lake. 



37 


The Wah-wu-loos. 



The queen fainted soon after reaching the 
be$> and as the little fairies did not know 
winna and Browneyes were lying, the 
butterfly was sent ahead to guide them to the 
l— 

“Oh, Margaret ! did they find them?” broke 
oris, excitedly, from among her pillows. 
Yes, dear, ” answered the big sister, “and 
ter gently putting them on the mat and cov- 
ering them with a rose-petal comfort, the little 
res carried them home in a long and sol- 
emn procession to the tulip bed; and both the 
prince and princess were warmed and re- 
dressed, and put to bed in a big tulip.” 



CHAPTER IV. 


THE GRAND COUNCIL. 


r^HE qi] 
ladies- 


gen, 



ing, and the 

• •' : '-•&&* ' ^ ; rSs^?-’ ■ 

■*'* Princess Edwin- 

na were sitting 
in a beautifunit- 
tle dell 

• ’ • their dainty^ 

broidery and lace-work. All were talking and 
working, and looked as cool and comforta- 
ble as you please. In the midst of the con- 
versation Evelyn dropped her work, clapped 
her hands, and called out: “Ladies, ladies! 
I have an idea ! Such a good one ! ” 

Elva, the mistress of the robes, put down 
her work, and folding her tiny hands prepared 
to listen. The other ladies followed her exam- 
ple, and when they all were sitting quietly 


39 


The Wah-wu-loos. 



urely the queen began to disclose 


been thinking about this subject 
long time — a very long time” — but what 
she meant the lady fairies did not 
now I have come to the con- 
the very best way to bring 
tion between the two bands 
be to call a large meeting of the 


ulip and Fleur-de-lis fairies and talk it all 


over. 

“Why, your Majesty,” said the Lady Elva, 
Ki we did not know you were going to make 
up with the Fleur-de-lis Wah-wu-loos. We 
hadn’t thought of such a thing.” 

“Well, I have,” said the little queen, tossing 
back her hair from her face and sitting up 
even straighter, “and I don’t see the advan- 
tage in this quarrel with the Fleur-de-lis fairies. 
If they like the arrangement I hope to make, 
well — I’ll be more than satisfied.” 


40 



Told by a Child. 

“What is your plan?” asked a lovely li 
black-haired fairy. “Tell it to us.” 

“Yes, do tell us,” echoed half a 
voices. 

Being thus pressed, Queen Evelyn 
her voice and said: “If we are 
question will be, ‘ Who is to be 
to prevent another dispute Edwinna 
marry Browneyes, that they may rule the 
united bands of Tulip and Fleur-de-lis Wah- 
wu-loos. ” 

The queen paused for lack of breath, and 
the ladies looked at each other as if unable to 
grasp this astonishing plan. A joyous burst 
of approval followed. “Splendid! What a 
fine idea! ” 

“How clever of our queen to think of it!” 
this from the Lady Elva. 

“Perfectly fine! I think so, too,” said a 
little voice, in the midst of these exclamations 


of delight. 


41 



The Wah-wu-loos. 

turning around, the queen and her 
saw Edwinna leaning against a wild 
x py and looking very happy and contented 
over the arrangement. 

The council was held in the little dell, and 
all the members of Evelyns and Corinna’s 
court came, dressed in their very best. Nearly 
all were delighted with Evelyns suggestion, 
and after debating a long time it was 
decided to do as she wished; that is, if the 
prince and princess were willing. 

The members of both the courts, arising 
from the mushroom tables where they had 
been feasting, strolled up and down the glen, 
each lady with one hand on the arm of a 
fairy gentleman and the other holding up her 
skirts from the evening dew. 

While they were walking and chatting the 
prince searched for the little princess, and 
finally found her down by the lake standing 


42 


Told by a Child, 

on the bank by the clump of willows, with 
her arm on the very branch that Bro\vneyeI 
had climbed out on to rescue her. 

That had occurred several months ago, but 
she hadn’t forgotten, it seemed, for there 
she stood when the prince came softly up, 
with her hand on the willow branch, and 
staring down at the water which lapped at 
her feet. 

Browneyes stole softly and cautiously along, 
taking great care not to rustle the dead 
leaves on the ground or to make the slightest 
noise. When he reached the princess he put 
his hand on her shoulder, and leaning over 
kissed her soft, rosy cheek — there in the 
moonlight by the lake. 

The Tulip and Fleur-de-lis Wah-wu-loos 
were impatient for the dancing to begin, and 
wondered where the prince and princess could 
possibly be, as they were to lead the dance 
together. 



43 


The Wah-wu-loos. 


ie cricket and frog musicians had already 
ommenced to play, and the dance was about 
begin without them, when up the path 
that led from the lake Edwinna and Brown- 
eyes came, arm in arm. 

Straight to the two queens they went, and 
with the eyes of the entire court upon them, 
Edwinna put her arms around her dear little 
fairy mother and whispered something in her 
ear. 

Never mind what it was, Doris, but the 
little fairies understood, and so would you if 
you had been there when Queen Evelyn put 
her daughters hand in that of the prince 
and kissed each of them on the forehead. 

The little fairies hurrahed and shouted, and 
thus ended the feud between the two bands. 


Let us hope, my little sister, that they 
lived in peace and happiness ever after. 


?L.ofM 



















































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LIBRARY of congress 



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